Political theater rules
Connecticut’s virtual theaters gear up for the Nov. 3 election
Political theater is all the rage in Connecticut this month, so much so that Hartford Stage artistic director Melia Bensussen is making it the main topic of her latest “Scene & Heard” podcast for the theater, Oct. 21 at 5 p.m.
One of Bensussen’s “Scene & Heard” guests will be Tamilla Woodard, director of the immigration-themed satire “American Dreams,” which numerous Connecticut-based theaters have joined together to give an online airing Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. Also on the program: HartBeat Ensemble artistic director Godfrey L. Simmons, who is not only a co-presenter of “American Dreams” but is performing the political monologue “The Trump Card” for HartBeat this month online.
“What is the relationship between American politics and American theater,” Bensussen said in a phone interview Thursday morning. “What even is political theater? We think of it as new, but the ancient Greek plays were all political. Howeffective is political theater? Is there such a thing as non-partisan political theater, or does having a point of view make it partisan?”
With mail-in voting for the Presidential election already happening and Election Day itself less than three weeks away, theater with hot political and social themes is proliferating online.
If you think of theater as nothing more than escapist fantasies, think again. These are the shows that Connecticut theaters felt had to happen now, by whatever means were available. Here, in chronological order, are the shows that get our vote.
“Trump Card,” a reworking of Mike Daisey’s monologue about Trump’s rise in the 2016 primaries, reworked by Godfrey Simmons Jr., the new head of HartBeat Ensemble, and directed by Ron Russell.
Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Pay What You Can; $20 suggested donation. hartbeatensemble.org.
“Russian Troll Farm,” a new “workplace comedy” by Sarah Gancher set at the Internet Research Agency where they cooked up fictional social media accounts and posts that attempted to sway the 2016 Presidential election. Co-directed by Elizabeth Williamson and Jared Mezzocchi. “Created for streaming,” with innovative effects. Performed as a livestream Oct. 18-24 at 7:30 p.m., then watchable any time of day in pre-recorded form Oct. 25 through Nov. 2. twhartford.org.
Bensussen’s political theater episode of Scene & Heard is Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. RSVP at hartfordstage.formstack.com/forms/rsvp and receive a log-in for the talk. Free.
The immigration-themed dark comedy “American Dreams,” which premiered two years ago at the Cleveland Playhouse, has been revived by NewYork’s The Working Theater and is being done online in a way that involves theaters around the country. Six separate Connecticut institutions — The Bushnell, Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks, Charter Oak Cultural Center and HartBeat Ensemble and the University of Connecticut — are joining together to sponsor the local presentation, Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. americandreamsplay.com.